Traction-wheel.



PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

J. W. LIVERMORE. TRACTION WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITE STATES Patented October 27, 1903.

I PATENT OEE CE. Y

TRACTIO srnoirrcA'rron forming N-WHEEL.

part of Letters Patent N0. 742,462, dated October 27, 1903.

Application filed November 25, 1902, Serial No. 132,765. (No model.)

To all whom itm/ay concern: v

Be it known that I, J OHN W. LIVERMORE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Berke- I ley, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Traction-Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to traction-wheels, and more particularly to theclass of wheels which carry and lay the track upon whichthey run in anydirection. Such Wheels are adapted for use upon many different kinds ofportable machines and vehicles, among which may be mentioned engines,harvesters, threshingmachines, and other agricultural machinery, wagonsfor hauling freight, cars for removing material in dredging, grading,and excavating, 85c. p

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong, and cheapwheel which will give effective traction on rough or soft or marshyground, as well as under circumstances in which it has usually beennecessary to lay railway-trackfor trolleys or cars to run upon.

I have embodied my. invention in a construction which is fullyhereinafter described and have shown it in drawings in connection withwhich this specification should be read, and in which- Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal section of my Wheel, its track-shoes being shownin elevation. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in longitudinal section andpartly in elevation, showing the wheel in position advanced from that ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig.1. Fig.

4 is a central vertical cross section through the upper half of thewheel of Fig. l.

The wheel A is preferably a single casting composed of two circular rimsor fellies connected by radial webs B and having a central hollow hub G.This integral construction of the wheel avoids the use of bolts and ofmaking separate castings to be secured by such bolts. I do not, however,wish to limit myself to the integrally-cast wheel, because it is evidentthat such wheel might be composed of two disks or heads securedtogether, a modification so obvious to the skilled machinist that I havenot considered it necessary to illustrate it. In either case the wheelcomprises two parallel disks or rims, preferably open at 1 1 forlightness, separated at the periphery, and connected by the inner radialspokes orwebs; These webs are also formed with slots 2 .open toward theperiphery of the wheel.

The wh eel shown in the drawings is intended to carry four tracksections or shoes, and that is the number I, prefer usually to employ.Consequently the tread of the wheel is formed with four equidistantdouble teeth D, which project beyond the smooth circular wheelrims.Alternating with these is another series of double teeth, which arepreferably formed by the tapered ends B of the webs B, but which may beseparate teeth,removable if preferred. These teeth D and B engage withother teeth on the track-sections and by interlocking therewith preventany slipping.

The track sections or shoes E are plates having a slightly-crowned treadwhich bears upon the ground and renders it easier to turn. The oppositesurface has two plane flat surfaces 3 3, which form the track upon whichthe circular wheel-treads rest. These surfaces 3 3 are separated by theprojecting tapering teeth 4: at 5, having curved edges and formedintegrally with each shoe E or attached to them in anysuitable Way,permanently orremovably. These shoes may be suspended from the wheel inany suitable way. The drawings show one practical construction. A link Fis pivoted to each tooth 5, the other end of which hangs loosely upon apin 6, which connects the teeth 13 B. :At each end of each shoe is arecess 7 with which the teeth D engage.

Starting from the position of Fig. 1, with the wheel resting upon oneshoe, with the teeth B in gear with the tooth 5 and revolving in thedirection of the arrow, the two 6, but a great part of their vweight isborne by the interlocking teeth and recesses Dand 7. As the wheelrevolves the position of Fig. 2 is assumed, the track now being formedby two shoes, end to end, while the engaging gear is composed of adouble tooth D and two adjoining recesses 7. Either one or two shoesmust always have a bearing on the ground, and in either case theinterlocking teeth prevent any slipping while the wheel travels smoothlyupon the plane surfaces of shoes at the sides are suspended fromthepinthe track. The weight of the wheel keeps the teeth in engagement,so that no lost mosion ensues during the revolution; but the teeth donot actually interlock unless the wheel commences to slip. It should benoticed also that the links F are so connected to the shoes as to give avery favorable leverage both in lifting the shoe and in letting it downand that this leverage is exerted while the teeth D and recesses 7 areacting as fulcrums, and hence as supports, thus relieving the pins 6from a great part of the weight of the shoe. It will also be noticedthat those track-shoes which are inactive rest upon the upper part ofthe wheel and are supported thereby and that no separate devices need beprovided for supporting the track-sections when not in use. The recesses7 provide teeth 7 on the shoes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A traction-wheel composed of connected parallel disks or rims havingsmooth circular treads, in combination with straight shoes, having planesurfaces upon which said rims bear, teeth on said shoes between saidtracks, and teeth between the wheel-rims, adapted to interlock with theteeth on the shoes, substantially as described.

2. In a traction-wheel, the combination with the wheel having theprojecting teeth I) a shoe having recesses 7 and a link pivoted to saidshoe, and suspended from the interior of the wheel, substantially asdescribed.

3. A traction-wheel having two sets of teeth arranged at differentdistances from the center and shoes connected with the tractionwheel,said shoes having teeth 7 to engage one set of traction-wheel teeth andhaving also a second set of teeth for engaging the other set of teeth onthe traction-wheel, substantially as described.

4. In a traction-wheel, a disk composed of a hub and two rims cast solidwith connecting-Webs, but separated for the greater part of theircircumference, gear-teeth formed by the outer ends of said webs, andshoes suspended by and pivoted to links projecting through saidseparated portion; said shoes being provided with interlocking teeth,substantially as described.

5. In a combination with a traction-wheel having two rims with aconnecting-web B provided with slots 2, teeth on the tractionwheel,shoes having teeth to mesh with the teeth on the traction-wheel, links Fconnecting the shoes with the traction-wheel and pins 6 to hold thelinks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 6th day of November, 1902.

JOHN WV. LIVERMORE.

WVitnesses L. W. SEELY, F. M. BURT.

